After 19 weeks of operating on a reduced schedule, Sault Transit is making plans to return to half-hour weekday service, City Council learned tonight.
No target date was disclosed, but Brent Lamming, who oversees transit operations as the city's director of community services, talked for the first time about resumption of half-hourly service since pandemic emergency measures came into effect on April 1.
"We're looking closely at this right now," Lamming said in response to a question from Ward 2 Coun. Lisa Vezeau-Allen.
"As you know, right now we're on hourly service. We're looking forward in the near future to moving back towards half-hour. We're looking at daily ridership to see the numbers trend upward."
"We're around 2,000 riders a day. Traditionally we're between 6,000 and 7,000 riders. So we're looking for a bit of a trend upward and reverting back to half-hour service," Lamming said.
Councillors also agreed to enter a 50-year agreement with Sault College, allowing Sault Transit's new northern transfer point to be built on college property.
Other news from tonight's City Council meeting:
- councillors approved $549,000 in downtown improvements including preliminary design work on a new farmers' market in the old Union Cab building at 73 Brock, pedestrian wayfinding signage, and new modular containers to be used as pop-up retail stores. City staff were unable to answer a number of questions including how many containers would be acquired or specifics about their design or proposed usage. A report to council had indicated these units are typically refurbished shipping containers, but staff indicated other types of modular containers may be considered. It was agreed that no containers would be purchased until more specifics are known
- city staff got a go-ahead to prepare a bid for a federally funded pilot broadband project for Ward 5 in the city's west end
- owners of patios that serve alcohol will get a break on the city's liability insurance requirements
- Don McConnell, the city's planning director, was granted discretion to approve minor variances to the patio rules to recognize individual circumstances
- the Sault will waive interest and penalties on municipal accommodation tax remittances until the end of 2020
- the city's rental housing community improvement program, providing property tax breaks to support affordable and short-term housing, will be extended for two years
- after a one-year trial, 'fan-friendly' pricing on hot dogs, fries and popcorn will become a permanent feature at GFL Memorial Gardens
- IDEA Inc. of Sault Ste. Marie won a $54,410 contract to conduct a feasibility study and preliminary design concept for the new Kinsmen Centre to be built in Kinsmen Park. Other bids were submitted by David Ellis Architect Inc. of Sault Ste. Marie and Brook McIlroy of Thunder Bay
- the city will enter an agreement with Veterans Affairs Canada for a $25,000 spruce-up of the Memorial Tower including removal of interior stucco finishes, exterior repair, priming, painting, and repair or replacement of the glass block
- the mayor read a proclamation supporting Canada United, a national movement dedicated to rallying Canadians to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by buying, dining and shopping local
- expenditure of an additional $110,000 was approved for asphalt and storm sewer work needed to complete the Wellington Street underpass reconstruction
